Am I being unreasonable?

[Maureen75]

Hi everyone,

My registration finally came through at the end of last month and I have a couple of mindees due to start in September.
I have recently had my only full-time enquiry and they've been to see me. Mum has set holidays (not always in schol holiday time) and is concerned that there may be some difficulty for them with the amount of leave I want to take.
I put down that I would take 30 days. It does sound a lot at first but it is actually made up of 4 whole weeks leave plus 8 days bank holidays and another 2 days leave in case I needed it, eg for a hospital appointment, for a wedding, that sort of thing.
I can probably tell them the exact 4 weeks that I would be taking before LO even starts, and I won't be charging for any of my own time off.
Part of the reason I decided to become a childminder was because I wanted something that would fit in with family life, so I don't really want to compromise on this, but I could do with filling this place.
They are seeing someone else this week so maybe they'll choose them and the problem will be out of my hands. Would be a shame cos LO was adorable!

[Straws]

I have 4 weeks per year plus bank holidays, was thinking of having an extra week next year.

Straws xx

[Pipsqueak]

Your business, your rules. If you are unsure about this parent then trust your gut feeling. she has a choice to go elsewhere - if she wants.
Someone else will come along for you.

[Mookins]

The only one you have to answer to id you...(or the tax man):rolleyes:

if you want that time off you take it
x x x

[Bushpig]

It's your service, your business. You take the holidays you want, all you are obligated to do is give decent notice to parents re your leave.

I have had quite a few hospital appts this year... have upcoming surgery and pre-op sessions etc. and even though I do feel bad about them, I shouldn't really... as my health is more important than a parent taking a day off work/getting gran to babysit for the day.

There is NO way you will make all your parents happy with your leave - you cannot please everyone. What suits one parent will not suit another... just the way it is! So take the leave when it suits YOU. That's a plus of being your own boss :thumbsup:

[Daftbat]

All sounds ok to me - if they don't like it they don't have to use you.

[rickysmiths]

I take 25days a year plus the Bank Holidays and I am paid in full for all of it. I am always full and at the moment have got loads of people who want care from Sept.

I wouldn't worry too much they are lucky that you can accommodate their holidays if they are fixed.

[Maureen75]

Thank you so much for all the replies.
I think I've just got to set out the service I'm offerring clearly and if they like it that's great, if not, they can find someone else.
I've already said that I'd have lo early on a couple of days to make it easier for them so I think I'll leave it at that and wait and see what happens.

[Zoomie]

I take it your 30 days includes Sat and Sundays, so if you reword it as p to u5 weeks and bank holidays, it might not sound as quite a shocker.

At the end of the day, its your business and your rules.

[claireLouise]

Personally I think it is alot, I only take 4 weeks plus Christmas public holidays. However it is your busienss and one of the perks is deciding how many holidays you wish to take in a year.

Stand your ground!